Scotts Valley photographer looks into the eyes of whales

Scotts Valley -- A self-taught underwater photographer who wants to share the wonder of whales with the world has taken it upon himself to be the first to capture the expressions of the great animals up close, while they are relaxing, and in full dimension.

"I wouldn't say I'm obsessed by whales, but if I am, it's an obsession of sharing with others," said Bryant Austin.

The 40-year-old Scotts Valley resident is inventing new techniques, photographing the great whales of the world life size by waiting for their approach.

"Photographing whales has remained basically unchanged for 40 years," Austin explained. "I'm the only person in the world producing life-size, high-resolution composite photos of whales."

Austin, who founded the nonprofit Marine Mammal Conservation Through the Arts in 2005, taught himself how to photograph marine animals in the wild including otters. He worked as a volunteer at a number of jobs including the Monterey Bay Aquarium and the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, and eventually the California Department of Fish and Game Sea Otter Research Lab. It was there he conceived a unique mission, to photograph and produce photos of whales, life size, in full detail, just as they would be seen in the water.

"This kind of photography allows large-size photos," Austin said. "I'm floating in the water less than 6 feet from a whale. I turn the camera on its side. I remain motionless. The pictures I take result in a high-resolution-scan series of composite photos, of the whole whale."

The goal of Austin's unique approach is to put the whale completely at ease. He doesn't use an oxygen tank and dive gear, but simple snorkeling equipment. He only photographs whales that are resting or socializing, never those who are migrating, calving or engaged in courtship. He consistently wears the same wetsuit to gain their trust, he says.

"I remain stationary," he said. "About 50 feet away, the whales are curious. They'll eventually approach, come up to within 5 feet of me. One time a whale reached over with a 10-foot pectoral fin and placed it under my body. They're very gentle animals."

Austin said other photographers sometimes chase or harass whales because of their limited budgets and time schedules they have to come up with a picture quick, resulting in an agitated-looking response from the whale.

Austin's patience has produced remarkable moments captured on film. Sperm whales up to 35 feet long weighing 25 tons displaying, if not affection toward him, then something akin to relaxed tolerance, Austin says.

"I get right up next to the eye," Austin said. "If the whale is harassed, you get a wide eye, the white of the eye. But if it's relaxed, the eye is heavy-lidded, calm and mindful."

One time Austin said he was lining up a shot of a whale and felt a tap on his shoulder. It was another whale, gently prodding him with a 15-foot pectoral fin.

"Our eyes locked," he recalled.

Another time, off the island of Tonga, a smaller calf came up behind Austin and rested its jaw on his back.

Austin, who uses a dive boat with a professional skipper and a dive master to photograph whales all over the world, said he isn't afraid of sharks.

"I'm more wary of people," he said.

Monterey Bay is home to humpback whales, killer whales, gray whales and blue whales. The latter, the largest animal in the world, is on the endangered species list. Austin doesn't photograph in the United States. Photography here is only allowed for research.

The island of Dominica in the Caribbean he said is a favored spot.

Austin plans to exhibit his photos around to world to gain appreciation for the whales, and the need to protect them from being hunted to extinction, particularly in countries where whale hunting still exists, such as Japan and Norway.

"In Japan, the issue of whale hunting has become so polarized, you can't even discuss the subject," Austin said. "My goal is not to antagonize or polarize people further. I just want to share with them knowledge, to serve as a platform, especially for people who have no previous experience or interest in whales."

Austin plans an exhibition of his photos in Norway in August, and another in Tokyo next year.

He said the entire effort had been paid out of his own pocket until recently when he received a couple donations. Expenses in the field total $1,500 per day.

His one-of-a-kind Hasselblad underwater camera costs about $60,000.

"Everything I've earned and saved I sink into this," he said. "I don't have a car, or insurance. If it wasn't for my mom, who helped me, I couldn't have done it."

Austin said public appreciation of the beauty and majesty of whales through photos is one of the best ways to protect them.

"I'll do this until I feel satisfied with my work," he said. "I'd like to get a close-up of the eye of a blue whale. They're shy, and that's never been done before."

Marine Mammal Conservation

Through the Arts

FOUNDER: Bryant Austin

WHAT: Organization committed to inspire change within countries that continue to hunt or harm whales.

GOAL: To shift the whaling debate

from a heavily polarized war of words, numbers and quotas, to one that 'encompasses the profound visual reality of the subject whose fate is being discussed,' according to Austin.

SCOPE: Entire seasons are spent with specific whale populations, working

at the whales' pace and level of

interest, while documenting them with state of the art imaging technology, according to Austin. The results